Although she's been photographed thousands of times, Duchess Kate is rarely heard: The duchess spoke in a November 2010 interview following her engagement to Prince William, and earlier this year she gave a speech at East Anglia's Children's Hospices.

On Thursday, the 30-year-old royal gave a graceful public speech -- her first outside Britain -- at the Hospis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. (She and William, 30, arrived there Thursday from Singapore.)

"I have learned that delivering the best possible palliative care to children is vital," the duchess says in the video, which can be seen by clicking here. "Providing children and their families with a place of support, care and enhancement at a time of great need is simply life-changing. With effective palliative care, lives can be transformed. Treatment, support, care and advice can provide a lifeline to families at a time of great need."

During her visit to the facility, Duchess Kate also found time to visit with Zakwan Anuar, a terminally ill young boy suffering from acute leukemia.

The 15-year-old even delayed a blood transfusion for 24 hours in order to meet the future queen. During their 15-minute chat, the duchess signed Zakwan's birthday card and told him he was "very, very brave" and "very handsome."

Said Zakwan's tearful mother, Norizan Sulong, of the restorative visit, "Zakwan is normally very sleepy and in pain, crying, almost giving up hope, but today, my God, it was as if the leukemia had gone."

"The duchess realized the hospice movement was something she could support and make a difference with and on an emotional level it's something she feels very strongly about as well," a royal aide told Us of her cause. "She is making a long-term commitment to this."